Vehicle-headlight-steering gear.



A. G. LINDLBY. VEHICLE HEADLIGHT STEERING GEAR.

APPLIOATION TILED DEG. 4, 1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

ATTORIVEY8 A. G. LINDLEY.

VEHICLE HEADLIGHT s'rnnnmu GEAR.

APPLIOA'HOH FILED D110. 4, 1009.

974,579. P ate nted Nov. 1, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: I 0 N I/E N I ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR G. LINDLEY, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T THOMAS F. MACGREGOR, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-HEADLIGHT-STEERING GEAR.

present invention has in View are: To provide an attachment whereby a lamp is .rotated with the steering wheels of the vehicle to cast the light at all times in the path to be traveled by the vehicle; to provide means for revolving the lamps with which a vehicle is provided in unison with the movement of the steering wheels around their pivotal mounting; to provide a construction whereby the connected parts of the light steering gear are permitted to work in their joints without jar; to provide a construction for rotating the lamps laterally and in advance of the rotation of the steering wheels; and to provide a construction for the said light steering gear which is simple, durable and efficient.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which-- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in plan of the end of a front axle, the steering gear, the lamp bracket, and the light shifting mechanism constructed and arranged in accordanoe with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section on theline 22 in Fig. 1, of a fragment of the front axle of a vehicle having a steering wheelconnected therewith, and the light shifting mechanism; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in horizontal section, taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the lamp, the end of the lamp bracket, and the parallel shifting links; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail fragmentary view partly in section on the line 55 in Fig. 1, of the lamp, the lamp yoke, the end of the lamp bracket, and the parallel shifting bar connection.

Where the headlights are statlonarily mounted on the vehicle, as at present, the

light is thrown steadily in front of the straight path followed by the vehicle. When the steering wheels are shifted to lead the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 4, 1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

Serial No. 531,321.

vehicle upon a curved path, the body of the machine is gradually brought around on the curve, but the extension. of the body is tangential to the curve. As the light is projected in the line of the extension of the body, it is projected to the side of the curved path being followed, the path remaining in actual darkness during the swing to and on the curve. It is obvious that this is a serious objection, particularly when on a strange 6 road and running at a high speed. By means of the present invention the light is steered as the wheels are steered, in the direction in whic h the vehicle is to travel. The present construction also provides for steering the light slightly in advance of the wheels; that is, to throw the light into the area at the side of the traveled path slightly in advance of the wheels being shifted to follow the same path. In this manner is provided means whereby the driver sees in advance the road into which he is driving.

The light steering gearhercin shown and described is attached to automobiles of usual construction, wherein is employed an axle 0 A which is provided with a knuckle yoke B; a knuckle pivot C; a wheel D; a spring E; a lamp bracket F; a bracket shaft G; a parallel rod H; and lamp ost I. The

lamp post I, when provided with the steer- 35 ing gear herein shown and described, is extended through a clampinmarm 10. The clamping arm 10 is fixed y held on the lamp post I by means of a set screw 11, and

is provided wlth lateral extensions 12, 12, to

Fig. 4 of the drawings. The bifurcated extensions are perforated to receive pivot bolts 14;, 14, which pass loosely throu h a perforation formed in the outer end 0 the links 13, 13. The links 13, 13 are preferably equal in length and are secured to a rocking bar 15, the lateral extensions of whichare duplicated in construction to that shown as the extensions 12, 12 of the clamping arm 10. By means of this construction the clamging arm 10 and rocking bar 15 are ermitte independent vertical movement. This is necessitated because the pivot post 16 and the lamp post I are each held in'a constant vertical position, but b reason of the connection through the spring E the two 9 bration.

members vibrate vertically at difl'erent periods of time. The flexible connections thus formed between the arm 10 and. bar 15 ac commodate, without-cramping," the said vi- The pivot post 16 is suitably mounted in bearings-formed in spring saddle plates 17 17. The saddle plates l7, 17 are .;.provided with projected ears 18, 18, which are perforated to form the bearings for the pivot post 16. Suitably mounted upon an extended from the lower end of the pivot post :16, is a lever arm 19. The outer end of the lever. arm 19 is bifurcated and perforated to receive "a pivot bolt 20, which is likewise passed through the contracted end of a connecting rod 21. The lever arm 19 is extended in the line of extensionof the vehicle and parallel with the extension of a bracket 22'. The bracket 22 is fixedly mounted upon the knuckle pivot C by' means of a bolt 23 and nut 24, in the manner shown particularly in Ei s. 2 and 3. The connecti g'rod 21 is ivotaly attached to both the bracket 22 and the arm 19 by with the-connecting rod 21.

screw bolts 25, 25,

' The bracket 22 is so constructed that the distance between the pivotal connection of the rod 21 therewith and the center of the.

knuckle pivot, slightly exceeds the distance between th'ecenter of the pivot post 16 and the pivotal connection of the lever arm 19 The are of movement, therefore, of the bracket 22 gslightly exceeds in length-the arc of the movement of the arm 19, when forming the same angle. The result of the difference in the length of the axis is, that the angle of the movement of the arm 19 slightly exceeds the angle of the movement of the bracket 22, and the wheel D connected with the knuckle pivot C. In this manner is the light shifted slightly in advance of the shifting of the wheels when the machine enters'upon or is running in a curved path.

The rocking bar 15 is rigidly secured in position upon the pivot post 16, by driving set pins 26 between the threaded connections therewith. The lever arm 19 is secured fixedly upon the pivot post 16 by a suitable set screw or' other convenient method.

Inthe usual method of mounting the steering ear herein described, each lamp is 21 conneete by means of the connecting r0 inde endently with the knuckle pivot C to whic the said lamp is adjacent. This, however, may be modified by extending a.connectin rod between the lever arm 27 of the head-light steering gear on the one side of the machine with the lever arm 27 of the steering gphar on the other side of the machine. en this arrangement is made there is needed only one connecting rod 21,

specified is as follows; Whenever the knnu. kle pivot C with which the'bracket is connected is rotated to shift the wheel carried, thereby, the pivot post 16 is rotated by the lever arm 19 through the connection 21. Further, by reason of the fact that the radial extension of the pivotal connect-ion of the rod 21 with the bracket 22 is lon rer than the radial extension of the pivotaf conncction of the rod 21 with the arm 19, the angle of movement of the lamp connectedwith the pivot post 16 is greater than the angle of movement of the wheel connected with the said knuckle pivot. The parts being thus arranged, when now the driver of a vehicle operates the wheel steering gear thereof to turn a curve, the light. frointhe lamps car riecl by the vehicle is brought in line with the curved path to he traveled. This action,

it will also he observed, occurs slightly in advance of the change to the curved path by he. vehicle. When the end of the curve 18 re hed, and radually as the steering wheels are broug 't in straight line disposi tion, the lamp,.or lamps, as the case may be, is, or are, brought to the position where it, or they focus in a straight line with the body extension of the automobile.

Having thus deseribed my invention, what Lclaiin as new and desire to secure by Let tors Patent i;

1. A vehicle headlight steering gear cou1- prising a lamp, a pivot post theretor, a bracket for said pivot post'fixedly'attached to the body structure of the vehicle to move therewith, a second pivot post, abracket for said second post fixedly attached to the running gear of the vehicle to move with. the axle thereof and arranged to dispose the said second post in line with the said firstmentioned post and directly at the rear thereof, means operatively connecting said pivot posts to rotate the same in unison, and means for connecting the pivot of the steering wheel with the second of said posts to rotate said pivot and said post in unison.

2. A vehicle headlight steering gear, com prising a lamp, a pivot post for said lamp, a bracket for said post mounted upon the body of the vehicle to move therewith, a sec ond pivot post, a bracket for said secondpost mounted upon the running gear of the vehicle to move with theaxle thereof, said bracket disposed in such manner as to locate said second post in line with the said firstmentioned post and equidistant from the longitudinal center of the body of the Vehicle, lateral extensions fixedly mounted on both of said posts, a tie rod pivotally connecting said lateral extensions to rotate said posts in unison, an extension mounted on the steer= ing wheel of the vehicle, an extension mount= ed on said second post in substantial parallel 7 and equidistant therewith from the longitli dinal center of said vehicle, extensions mounted on said pivotal member and said support, and means pivotally connecting said extensions to move the said member and support in unison;

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR G. LINDLEY.

Witnesses:

E. F. Mrmnocit, TI-mMAs F. MACGREGOR. 

